Doctor Who Christmas special first look sees Doctor prepare to face old enemy
The images also introduce us to some of the episode's guest stars.
As we get ever closer to Christmas Day, for Doctor Who fans that means being one step closer to seeing this year's festive special, Joy to the World.
The hour-long episode, which will air at 5:10pm on BBC One on 25th December, has been written by Steven Moffat and centres around a hotel utilising time travel to fill its unbooked rooms from throughout history.
Now, we've got a host of brand-new images from the special, giving us fresh looks at Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor, Nicola Coughlan's one-off companion Joy and some of the episode's other guest stars.
One image (above) sees the Doctor and Joy looking intently at a briefcase, which from a previously released clip we know is related to the one of the Doctor's old enemies, the weapons manufacturer Villengard.
As well as featuring in this year's episode Boom, also written by Moffat, Villengard has also made appearances in Twice Upon a Time, the last episode to feature Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor, and was referenced in Moffat's first official Who story, The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances.
Other newly released images introduce us to Jonathan Aris's Silurian hotel manager, previously seen in a clip released earlier this year, and Joel Fry's character Trev, seen meeting the Doctor in what appears to be the hotel lobby.
Another image sees the Doctor wearing a robe, holding a newspaper and mug and heading back into the TARDIS, while another introduces us to Sylvia, as played by Niamh Marie Smith.
From the episode's cast list, we know Sylvia's surname is Trench, the same as the first Bond Girl introduced in the James Bond film franchise. Whether this is a coincidence or a purposeful connection remains to be seen.
One more image sees Coughlan's character Joy stood against what appears to be a cave wall, looking scared.
Coughlan is only expected to appear in this one episode, with Gatwa instead being joined for his second season by new companion Belinda, played by Varada Sethu. Millie Gibson is also set to return as Ruby Sunday.
Read more:
- Doctor Who hints at plot twist with Christmas special title confusion
- Doctor Who's Steven Moffat defends Doctor's comments that "upset" some fans
Doctor Who: Joy to the World will air on Wednesday 25th December on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 5:10pm. Previous seasons are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
